Jon Paul Gordon loses his wife to an auto accident. There is no way he can get over her while still living in their house, in their hometown. She was the love of his life, and now she's gone. Jon Paul escapes, moving to Appleby, a remote town in West Texas. Even so, he finds that he needs the help of the liquor bottle to quiet his mournful mind as he does his best to go on without his beloved Dahlia.

He makes a new, devoted friend in Homer: a wandering, odd-looking dog. Through Homer, Jon Paul meets the local veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Reyna. Nancy lost her husband to a hunting accident years before, and the two build an immediate bond. As Jon Paul settles in, though, things get weird. Animals have been turning up dead, and now neighbors are seeing strange shadows in their backyards.

There are devious forces at work in Appleby, and they seem to want to communicate with Jon Paul. They prey on the weakness of his alcoholism and on his devotion to new friends. Jon Paul may be willing to lean on these mysterious, alien beings, but he must keep them secret before the animal attacks stop and humans become their next target.

Chris Anderson's initial `Long Tail' analysis was released in 2004 just as the wave of mergers and acquisitions was sweeping the music publishing and radio industries. Music industry executives began looking for Anderson's 'Long Tail' effect and with it the implied redistribution of royalty income from popular songs to long dormant and forgotten works in their catalogs. These music publishers had hoped to further maximize the value of their copyright assets (lyrics and melody) in their existing music catalogs as the sale of compact disks diminished, and consumers switched their purchasing and listening habits to new digital formats in music technology such as the iPod. This book deals with the measurement of skewness, heavy tails and asymmetry in performance royalty income data in the music industry, an area that has received very little academic attention for various reasons. For example, the pay packages, including signing bonuses, of some `superstars' in the sports world are often announced when they join a team. In the art world, the value of an artist's work is sometimes revealed when the work is sold at auction. The main reason it is difficult to study art and culture from a royalty income perspective is that most of the income data at the individual level is often proprietary, and generally not made publicly available for economic analysis. As a Senior Economist for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) using both internal and licensed external proprietary data, the author found that the so-called `superstar effects' are still present in performance royalty income. Success is still concentrated on a relatively few copyright holders or members who can be grouped into `heavy tails' of the empirical income distribution in a departure from Anderson's `long tail' analysis. This book is divided into two parts. The first part is a general introduction to the many supply and demand economic factors that are related to music performance royalty payments. The second part is an applied econometrics section that provides modeling and in-depth analysis of income data from a songwriter, music publisher and blanket licensing perspective. In an era of declining income from CD album sales, data collection, mining and analysis are becoming increasingly important in terms of understanding the listening, buying and music use habits of consumers. The economic impact on songwriters, publishers, music listeners, and Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) is discussed and future business models are evaluated. The book will appeal to researchers and students in cultural economics, media and statistics as well as general readers and professionals in the music publishing industry.

Economics of the U.S. Commercial Airline Industry: Productivity, Technology and Deregulation illustrates the impact of upstream technological change in capital goods (aircraft and aircraft engines) on demand, productivity, and cost reduction in the U.S. airline industry for the years 1970-1992. The aim is to separate supply-side technology push from demand pull in determining investment in aircraft in the US airline industry. The focus of inquiry in this study is at the company level, so the measures are sensitive to company differences such as financial costs, payload, and existing aircraft inventory rather than industry averages. This monograph builds on the new developments in econometric modeling and has a substantial technical component. The quantitative results lead to implications for understanding technology and its impact on the airline industry, as well as for formulating regulatory policy.

For many agricultural crops, bees play a vital role as pollinators, and this book discusses the interplay among bees, agriculture, and the environment. Although honey bees are well recognized as pollinators, managed bumble bees and solitary bees are also critical for the successful pollination of certain crops, while wild bees provide a free service. As bees liberally pass pollen from one plant to the next, they also impact the broader ecosystem, and not always to the benefit of humankind. Bees can enhance the unintentional spread of genes from genetically engineered plants, and may increase the spread of invasive weeds. Conversely, genetically engineered plants can impact pollinators, and invasive weeds can supply new sources of food for these insects. Bees' flower-visiting activities also can be exploited to help spread biological control agents that control crop pests, and they are important for native plant reproduction. Managing bees for pollination is complex and the factors that must be taken into consideration are treated here, including bee natural history, physiology, pathology, and behavior. Furthermore, transporting bees from native ranges to new areas for pollination services can be controversial, and needs to be done only after assuring that it will not disrupt various ecosystems. Even though bees are small, unobtrusive creatures, they play large roles in the ecosystem. The connection between bees and humankind also is symbolic of a broader interconnection between humans and the natural world.

A collected series of intertwined poetic essays written by acclaimed Japanese poet Hiromi Ito—part nature writing, part travelogue, part existential philosophy.  Written between April 2012 and November 2013, Tree Spirits Grass Spirits adopts a non-linear narrative flow that mimics the growth of plants, and can be read as a companion piece to Ito’s beloved poem "Wild Grass on the Riverbank". Rather than the vertiginously violent poetics of the latter, Tree Spirits Grass Spirits serves as what we might call a phyto-autobiography: a recounting of one’s life through the logic of flora. Ito’s graciously potent and philosophical prose examines immigration, language, gender, care work, and death, all through her close (indeed, at times obsessive) attention to plant life.

The ongoing progress of science has shown that it is important for analytical scientists to determine not only the presence of particular elements, but also their species. There are many fields where this is applicable, and where there are a number of topics to be addressed. Developing separation and measurement systems for the many element species has tested the resourcefulness of analytical chemists over recent decades. A product of the EU sponsored Speciation 21 Network, this book presents a detailed review of the state-of-the-art of speciation issues in the occupational health, food and environment sectors, along with the main conclusions arising from discussions held during expert meetings. Topics covered include mercury and organotin compounds in the environment; factors affecting the health of workers; the importance of speciation of trace elements for health, and subsequent metabolism in the body; analytical methodologies; risk assessment; and legislation. Trace Element Speciation for Environment, Food and Health provides an insight into applied research in the speciation field and how it has become so important in all the fields represented. With its comprehensive coverage, it will be of particular interest to researchers in industry and academia, as well as government agencies and legislative bodies.

Economics of the U.S. Commercial Airline Industry: Productivity, Technology and Deregulation illustrates the impact of upstream technological change in capital goods (aircraft and aircraft engines) on demand, productivity, and cost reduction in the U.S. airline industry for the years 1970-1992. The aim is to separate supply-side technology push from demand pull in determining investment in aircraft in the US airline industry. The focus of inquiry in this study is at the company level, so the measures are sensitive to company differences such as financial costs, payload, and existing aircraft inventory rather than industry averages. This monograph builds on the new developments in econometric modeling and has a substantial technical component. The quantitative results lead to implications for understanding technology and its impact on the airline industry, as well as for formulating regulatory policy.

Revivals are an integral part of Baptist life. Just as Baptists share key convictions regarding believer's baptism, congregational governance, and religious freedom, they have also widely adopted common practices. Revivals have contributed immensely to the vitality and growth of Baptists worldwide. This volume is a contribution to the theme of Baptist revivals. It explores the central role played by revivalism for Baptist life in the U.S. and Canada, Britain and Continental Europe, and the Majority world. For 250 years, beginning with the Great Awakening in the mid-eighteenth century, and in almost every place they have established churches, Baptists have embraced the practice of revivalism. The book offers twenty-five studies of Baptists and their revivals. The authors describe individual revivals and evaluate related issues of gender, race, emotion, and charisma. The chapters push well beyond textbook summaries, which usually notice the Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening but often do not find space to include other revivals such as the Laymen's Revival (1857), the Welsh Revival (1904-05), and revivals associated with World War I and World War II. All of these revivals influenced the Baptist story, and all of them are addressed in these pages. Focusing on Baptists at the local grassroots level, many of these studies analyze in some depth seasons of revival followed by seasons of arid spirituality. The authors explore the dynamics of these movements, searching for possible explanations for this religious phenomenon.

Thousands of jobs available If you or someone you know is looking for employment then you need this publication. Defense and military contracting is a multibillion dollar industry that continues to grow at a rapid pace. Defense contracting and military contracting companies provide human resources, goods, products, and services in support of the U.S. government and the U.S. military both at home and abroad. This industry is job plentiful and the need for qualified employees continues to increase. There are many different employment opportunities in the defense industry that require varying degrees of education, background, skills, abilities, knowledge, and experience. Many seeking employment in the defense industry are often under the misconception that you must have a college degree, military or government experience, or special skills and experience to be considered for employment by a military or defense contractor. The reality is that there are a number of opportunities available in this industry that are general in nature and require varying levels of education and experience. Opportunities are available for those with high school diploma and GED level educations to those with associates, bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees. Employment opportunities scan the spectrum from clerical and custodial to management, manufacturing, legal, sales, construction, healthcare, engineering, security, technology, marketing, training, human resources, operations, logistics, general labor, administrative, and scientific to name just a few. Full time, part time, contract, and telecommute (home office) opportunities are available. There are over three hundred companies with available jobs listed in this current edition of Defense Industry Careers. We have made every attempt to list companies that advertise multiple employment opportunities on a continuous basis. Many of the companies listed post new jobs daily so be sure to check often.

Jon Paul Gordon loses his wife to an auto accident. There is no way he can get over her while still living in their house, in their hometown. She was the love of his life, and now she's gone. Jon Paul escapes, moving to Appleby, a remote town in West Texas. Even so, he finds that he needs the help of the liquor bottle to quiet his mournful mind as he does his best to go on without his beloved Dahlia.

He makes a new, devoted friend in Homer: a wandering, odd-looking dog. Through Homer, Jon Paul meets the local veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Reyna. Nancy lost her husband to a hunting accident years before, and the two build an immediate bond. As Jon Paul settles in, though, things get weird. Animals have been turning up dead, and now neighbors are seeing strange shadows in their backyards.

There are devious forces at work in Appleby, and they seem to want to communicate with Jon Paul. They prey on the weakness of his alcoholism and on his devotion to new friends. Jon Paul may be willing to lean on these mysterious, alien beings, but he must keep them secret before the animal attacks stop and humans become their next target.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.